Hand-propelled wagon.



K N. THOMAS. y HAND 'PROPHLLFD. WAGOISI'l A PPLIO'A-TIOF FILED AG, 22, 1908.

Patented Apr. i3, 1909.

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N. THOMAS. HAND PROPELLED WAGON.

A21-Iranien FILED AUG. 2a, 19de. 917,910; Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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lgmmlm! Q im N. THOMAS. HAND PBOP'ELILED WAGON. A APP-momias rrrrrr Us'. 22,1909. 91 7,-9 1 O. .Patented Apr. 13, 1909. 4 snnlnrsQsxnM 4.

l a ms'wmmw UNITED STATES Tv OFFICE.

NICHOLAS THOMAS, OF BURLINGTON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWIN CALDWELL AND ONE-HALF TO HIMSELF, BOTH OF BURLINGTON, WISCONSIN,

HAND-PROPELLED WAGON.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 22, 1906.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Serial No. 831,646.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, NICHOLAS THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Racine, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Hand Propelled Wagons, o which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

lhis invention relates to hand propelled Vehicles of the kind intended chiefly for use b v children, and it has for its objects to provide improved means for driving the wagon from its rear axle, such means comprising an improved clutch, to provide a construction that will obviate excessive friction between thev driving gears on the rear axle and the rack bars employed in connection with such gears; to provide improved means for adjusting the pivoted o erating handle so as to readily eiect a cV ange in the -leverage to adapt it to the strength of the operator or the condition of the road being traveled over to provide movable legs or supports at the rear end of the wagon whereby the rear wheels can be raised 0H the ground and the device as a whole thereby adapted as an exercising machine for indoor use; to provide clutch m-L-'hanism between the axle and the Wheels carried thereby which will normally be in engagement, but which will sli to ermit the turning of corners readily'an easi y-and to improve generally the construction and operation of vehicles of this character.

Those things that I believe to be new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved wagon. Fig. 2 is a detail, being a vertical section through the pivoted box through which the operating handle passes, and illustrating the means for adjustlng such handlevhigher or lower. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken at line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at line`4 4 of Fig. 2, and illustrating the manner of securing in place the box through which the actuating handle passes. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of my improved wagon. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of the rear part of the wagon, with the seat and its supporting springs omitted, such view being taken at line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail of the device for holding the brake handle in dierent positions. Fi 8 is adetail, being a 'section through the ub of' one of the rear wheels and the s ring-actuated clutch connected therewith. ig.v 9 is a detail, being an elevation of the spring-actuated clutch shownI in section in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section taken at line 10 10 of Fi 8. Fig. 11 is a section taken at line 11 11 of 8. Fig. 12 is a detail of the front axle, part? broken away, andv the axle and body bol, sters, the wooden frame from which the body bolster depends being shown in section. Fig. 13 is a detail, bein an enlarged section through the double racv bar device and the clutches that carry the gears that coperate with such double rack bar device. Fig. 14 is a section taken at line 14 14 of Fig. 13, the double rack bar device being shown in side elevation. Fig. 15 is a section taken at line 15 15 of Fig. 13, and illustrating the interior construction of one of the clutches.

Referring to the several iigures of the drawings, 1n which correspondlng parts are indicated by like reference characters, 20 indicates ay sup orting frame consisting, as shown in Fig. of two bars spaced apart and converging toward their front ends, Such bars are fastened together at their forward ends by a metal plate 21, and at their rear ends by another metal plate 22, and bein further secured by a Wooden cross piece 2 near their central portions. Secured to the lower faces of these bars at their forward ends is a body bolster 24, resting upon a bolster carried b the front axle 25. The front Wheels are indicated by 26.

27 indicates a seat supported by the frame 20, springs 28 being preferably interposed be,- twee'n the seat and frame.

29 indicates an operating lever, having at its upper end a suitable cross piece 30 to form a handle to be grasped by the operator` This operating lever is pivotally attached at its lower end to a connecting :bar 31 extending back toward the rear of the machine and connected with means hereinafter described for driving the rear axle of the wagon. The actuating lever extends up between the two frame bars 20, and passes through a box 32, such box passing through a slot 33 extending longitudinally ofthe frame in the metal plate 21. In the construction shown, this box in its lower end is provided on op osite sides with annular bearing faces 34 see Fig. 4) which bear against the inner faces of blocks 35 lying against the inner faces of the frame bars 20, these blocks, in the construction shown, being held in place by integral flanges 36 bolted to the metal plate 21. These blocks 35 could, of course, be otherwise secured in place.

37 indicates trunnions carried by the bearing faces 34 and projecting into openings in the blocks 35. On these trunnions, the box 32 can be rocked back and forth in the slot 33.

It is frequently desirable to raise or lower the operating lever 29 in order to obtain the proper leverage suitable to the strength of the child operating the device or on account of the character of the road over which the wagon is being propelled. I accomplish this by providing a series of notches 38 in one edge of said lever into which a tooth 39 carried by a band 41-which may be either cast, as shown, or formed of sheet metal-that surrounds the box 34. This tooth rojects through a slot 40 in the edge of the ox 32, as shown in Fig. 2. The tooth 39 is held in .Y engagement with any one of the notches 38 of the operating lever 29 by means of a coiled spring 42 inter osed between the oplposite end of the ban 41 and the edge of t e box 32. 1t is evident that by pushing the band 41 so as to com ress the coiled spring 42 the tooth 39 carrie by the band will be forced out of engagement with the. operating lever 29, whereupon such operating lever can be moved higher or lower as desired, and can be locked in osition by the tooth 39 entering another o the notches 38.

43 indicates an o en frame, the upper and lower sides of whic are parallel, and the inner faces of which are provided with racks 44 and 45 respectively. As best shown in Fig. 13, these racks are not placed opposite each other, but are locatedV so that when looking at the frame 43 from one end-as, for example, in the section in Fig. `13 where the view is looking toward the front of the machinethe upper rack 44 is at one side of the frame 43, while the other rack 45 is atv the other side of such frame. As clearly shown in said Fig. 13, the inner face of each of the parallel bars at the side of each rack 44 45 is left plain to provide a smooth bearing face, such smooth bearing face being for the purpose of riding upon the edge of a disk 46 that is free to turn upon the rear axle 47 of the wagon, such axle, when the parts are in position for use, extending through such rack frame 43. The forward end of the rack frame 43 is connected in any suitable manner to the connecting bar 31.

At each side of the rackbar 43 is located a clutch, each clutch consisting of a narrow lmember 48 is loose on the axle 47.

annular casing 48, an annular disk 49 which fits against the open end of the casing 48, and one or more rollers 50. The part 48 of the clutch has formed on its -face a hub portion 51 on the periphery of which teeth are formed, thus const1tuting such hub ortion in effect a gear wheel, such gear whee being adapted to mesh with one of the racks on the rack bar 43. The member 48 of the clutch is located at one side of the double rack bar 43 with its toothed hub or gear wheel 51 in mesh with one of the racks 44 or 45, and saild T e member 49 of the clutch is made fast to said axle 47 by means of a set screw 52 passing through a hub portion 53, or in any other desired manner, and, on the inner face of the member 49 and integral therewith, is a block 54 of a width substantially e ual to the depth of the casing 48, as clear y shown in Fig. 13. This block is cut away on its edge to form cam surfaces 55, as best shown in Fig. 15. By the formation of these cam surfaces, considerable spaces are left between the rim or flange of the member 48 and the block 54, in which spaces are placed the rollers 50, before mentioned. The inner face of the rim or flange of thel member 48 is formed with a series of shallow depressions 56, the depressions being curved to conform to the rollers. Each of the s aces between the rim or flange of the c utch member 48 and the edge of the block 54 is, by reason of the cam-shaped formation given to the edge of the block 54, materially Wider at one end than at the other, the wider end bein wider than the diameter of the roller place therein. The result of this construction is that as the member 48 of the clutch is rotated on the axle 47, the rollers 50 will be successively and uickly moved toward the narrow ends of t eir respective spaces, and, as the roller gets toward the narrow end, it is wedged between the block 54 and the rim or flange of themember 48, thus locking the two parts 48 and 49 together, and, as the part 49 is fast to the axle 47, the rear wheels on such axle are necessarily driven. It is feasible, of course, to use but a single roller 50, but in that event a slight amount of lost motion might be occasioned before the member 48 had been rotated suiiiciently to carry the roller to a position where it could travel to the smaller end of its space, and hence I prefer to employ a plurality of such rollers to insure an almost instantaneous gripping of the parts, as described, when it is desired to turn the axle. With a plurality of such rollers, one of them is certain to be in position to assume a gripping engagement instantly. The shallow recesses 56 forming seats for the rollers aid in holding such rollers in proper gripping position.

57 indicates the hind wheels of the wagon, and these hind wheels are secured to the axle s indle by means of an ordinary twoart c utch, one member 58 of which clutc is formed on the inner end of the wheel hub 59. The other member of the clutch is indicated by 60, such member being slidably mounted .quired on the axle spindle, being so secured by a feather or other suitable device, and the two parts of the clutch are held in engagement by a coiled spring 61 bearing against the usual shoulder at the end of the axle spindle and a ainst the face of the part 60 of the clutch. T is s ring 61 is strong enough to normally hold t e two parts of the clutch in engagement, but when turning a corner the s ring will be weak enough to permit the cl)utch members of the outer wheel to slip on each other.

62 indicates a brake drum against the surface of which a brake 63 is adapted to be forced, the brake being provided with a' suitable handle 65 extending forward along the side of one of the frame bars 20. The brake handle is pivoted at 64, and at its forward end is adapted to be engaged by a notched bar 66 secured to the under of the adjacent frame bars 20. When the brake handle is disengaged from this notched bar 66, it is prevented from dropping too far down by a pin 67 that projects over the brake portion 63. The notched bar with which the handle 65 is adapted to be engaged is of use princicpally when the device as a whole is converte into an exercising machine for indoor use. It is so converted by turning down a air of legs-one at each side-indicated y 68, such legs being pivoted to the outer faces of the frame bars 20. These legs canbe turned down and back, resting against 11projecting pins 68, in which position they w` l keep the rear wheels lifted above the ground, and, while so lifted, the operator can work the operating lever 29 backward and forward just as it would be operated if the wagon were being propelled on-the ground, and, in order that the required degree of frictional resistance may be had, the brake handle 65 is pulled u to force the brake 63 with the reegree of ressure against the drum 62, being held in t e re uired position by engagement with one of t e notches in the depending bar 66. By having the legs long enough to be swung back into an inclined position against the projecting pins 68a and at the same time holding the wheels carried by such axle above the ground the machine will be held lifted in a firm manner at its rear end. When the wagon is to be used in the ordinary manner, the legs will be swung up alongside of the frame bars 20 and locked in position there byturnbuttons 69, as shown,or equivalent means. If desired, the leg on the opposite side from that at which thebrake lever is attached may be made a trifle longer than the other leg and be swung back to bear against the rear axle 47 thus avoiding the use of the in 68El on that side. On the side where the rake lever is attached, however, a pin 68a must be used as a stop, or otherwise the leg on that side, when swung back, would rest against the drum 62` In operation, with the parts assembled as shown, and with an operator mounted on the seat 27, the wagon 1s ropelled by moving the hand lever 29 bac ward and forward, which, through the connecting bar 31 reciprocates the double rack bar 43. The reciprocation of this rackbar causes a movement of the gears or hub portions 51 formed with the two clutchmembers 48, and of course rotates such members 48, the rotation of one being forward and the other backward. The rotation of that one of the clutch members 48 that is driven in a forward direction instantly causes a gripping engagement between it and its contained block 54 through the instrumentality of one of its rollers 50, as before ex lained, and, as the part 49 of the clutch, o' which the block 54 is a part, is fast on the axle 47, such axle will be driven in a forward direction. The member 48 of the other clutch being rotated to the rear, its rollers 50 are not wedged between the two parts of the clutch, but, immediately upon the rearward rotation of such clutch, are instantly released from such gri ping engagement as they, or any of them, ave just previously had, with the result that while the part 49 of this clutch is free to turn forward with the axle to which it is secured, its other member 48 does not so turn. At each motion of this double rack bar the clutch member 48 that has been locked to the axle, as before explained, so as to turn therewith, is instantly releasedV so as to be freely turned backward and at the same time the member 48 of the other clutch is thrown into engagement with its coacting member.

This alternate gri ping and releasing of the loose clutch mem ers 48 with the coacting members 49 is eected whether the double rack bar device 43 be moved to its limit in either direction, or whether such movement be but a very slight one. By providing a plain surface on the inner faces of the upper and lower bars of the double rack device at one side of the racks, a smooth bearing surface is afforded for traveling upon the rim of the disk 46 that is loose upon the axle 47. This disk 46, it will be seen, (see Figs. 13 and 14), is of such diameter as to insure the teeth of the hubs or gears 51 and the teeth forming the racks 44 and 45 from intermeshing to'the full length of said teeth. This construction operates to lessen friction between the racks and gears and the rolling action of the disk on the plain faces of the parallel members of the device 43 also serves to cause such device 43 as a whole to run smoothly and with but a minimum amount of friction. W'hen it is desired to coast down a hill, or upon a level surface after considerable Vmomentum has been acquired, the reciprocation of the double rack bar 43 is checked by ceasing to work the lever 29, and as the member 4S of both clutches will be held against movement in either direction by the engagement of their respective rack bars 44 and 46, the gripping engagement between the two parts 48 and 49 of both clutches will be immediately destroyed and the driving axle 47 and attached clutch members 49 be allowed to turn freely. rhis coasting feature in connection with a wagon of this type is of very considerable value. To properly apply the power for driving the device so as t0 adapt the wagon to be easily operated by children of varying strength, and also to increase or diminish the power applied through the hand lever 29, such hand lever is made adjustable up and down to bring its pivotal point nearer to or farther from the connecting rod 31 to which it is attached, and, by adjustably securing this hand lever in the pivoted box 32, such adjustment of the hand ever can be very quickly and easily effected. This adjustment of the hand lever is also of value where it is desirable to apply the power to better advantage in going over rough or hilly ground.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a manuallyropelled wagon, with a frame and a rear ax e journaled thereto, of two clutches on said axle,-each clutch comprising a art fast on said axle, a part loose on the ax e, and means for causing an engagement between said fast and loose parts when the said loose part is rotated in a forward directionf-a gear secured to each of said loose parts of the clutches, 'a double rackbar for simultaneously driving said gears in opposite directions, said rack-bar having a smooth surface at one side of each rack, a disk loosely mounted on said axle and in contact with said smooth surfaces of the rack-bar, and means for reciprocating said double rack-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combinationwith a frame and a rear axle journaled thereto, of two clutches on said axle,-each clutch comprising an open ended casing loose on said axle, a disk fitting against such open end and having a block with a cam formed on its edge projecting into said casing, and a roller between said blockand the flange or rim of the casing,-nieans for securing said second named clutch member to said axle, agear carried by said loose or casing member of the clutch, and means for simultaneously rotating said gears in opposite directions to roduce a continuous forward rotation of t e said axle, substantially as described.

3. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combination with a frame and a rear axle journaled thereto, of two clutches on said axle,-each clutch comprising an open ended casing loose on said axle, a disk fitting against such open end and having a block with a cam formed on its edge projecting into said casing, and a roller between said block and the flange or rim of the casing,-means for securing said second named clutch member to said axle, a gear carried by said loose or casing member' of the clutch, a frame having parallel rack-bars for meshing with said gears at opposite sides of said rear axle, and means 'for reci rocating said rack-bar frame, substantially as described.

4. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combination with a frame and a rear axle j ournaled thereto, of two clutches on said axle,-each clutch comprising an open ended casing loose on said axle, a disk fitting against such open end and having a block with a cam formed on its edge projecting into said casing, and a roller between said block and the flange 'or rimf of the casing-means for securing said second named clutch member to said axle, a gear carried by said loose or casing member of the clutch, a frame having parallel barseach having on its inner face a rack portion and a smooth portion, an anti-friction device carried by the axle and located between the two clutches against which antifriction device the said smooth portions of the parallel bars are adapted to bear, and means yfor reciprocating said last mentioned frame, substantially as described.

5. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combination with a frame, of an open-ended box pivotally connected therewith, a rocking lever assing through said box, means for adjustagly securing said lever to said box, and reciprocating means connected with said lever for moving the wagon.

6. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combination with a frame, of an o en-ended box pivotally connected therewit vided with a series of notches, a slide carried by said box and adapted to engage in one of the notches in the lever to hold said lever locked to the box, and reciprocating means` connected with said lever for moving the wagon.

7. In a manually-propelled wagon, the combination with a frame, ol' an open-ended box pivotally connected therewith, a rocking lever passing through said box and provided with a series of notches, a sliding band surrounding said box, a tooth carried by said band projecting through an opening in the a rock-` l ing lever passing through said box and proboX and adapted to project into one of the first member, said second member being resaid notches of the lever to lock said lever leasable to permit its adjustment With rcand box together, and reciprocating means spect to said first member, driving means, and

connected with said lever for moving the means for operatively connecting said driv- 5 Wagon` ing means and said second member.

8. lVIechanism of the class described, comprising a pivoted member, a second member NICHOLAS THOLLAS' Inovably carried by said first member, re- Witnesses: silient means for holding the second member ALBERT H. ADAMS,

10 in a plurality of positions with respect to said EDWIN CALDWELL.

It is `hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 917,910, granted April 13, 1909, upon the application of N icholasThomas, of Burlington, Wisconsin, for an improvement in Hand-Propelled Wagons, an error appears in the printed specication requiring correction, as follows: On page 4, line 37, before the word with, the Words the combination should be inserted; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that thevsame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oice. i l

Signed and sealed this 4th day of May, A. D., 1909. y

' O. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] Correction in Letters Patent No. 917,910.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 917,910.

boX and adapted to project into one of the said notches of the lever to lock said lever and box together, and reciprocating means connected with said lever for moving the Wagon` 8. lVIechanism of the class described, comprising a pivoted member, a second member Inovably carried by said first member, resilient means for holding the second member in a plurality of positions With respect to said first member, said second member being releasable to permit its adjustment With respect to said first member, driving means, and means for operatively connecting said driving,r means and said second member.

NICHOLAS THOLIAS. Witnesses ALBERT H. ADAMS, EDWIN CALDWELL.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 917,910, granted April 13, 1909,

upon the application of N icholasThomas, of Burlington, Wisconsin, for an improvement in Hand-Propelled Wagons,

an error appears in the printed specication requiring correction, as follows: On page 4, line 37, before the word with, the Words the combination should be inserted; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Oice.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of [SEAL] May, A. D., 1909.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 917,910.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 917,910, granted April 13, 1909, upon the application of .N icholael Thomas, of Burlington, Wisconsin, for an improve` ment. in Ha-nd-Propelled Wagons, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction, es follows: On page 4, line 37, before the word 4 with, the Words the Patent; Oce.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of May, A. D., 1909.

[SEAL] C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

